Spotlight



E. H. HOWARD.

SPOTLIGHT.

APPLICATION FILED Aua.14, 1919.

1,399, 1 20, Patented Dee. 6, 1921.

II/IIIIIIIIIIIIISM E fdf/ /x mwa/"d UNIITED STATES Pisrlazla'l OFFICE.

EARL H. HOWARD, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIG-NOR T0 GILFILLAN BROS.

SMELTING & REFINING COMPANY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORA- TION OF CALIFORNIA.

SPOTLIGHT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

'Application led August 14, 1919. Serial No. 317,427.

'To all whom. t may cof/wem:

Be it known that I, EARL H. HOWARD, a citizen of the United' States, residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles, State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Spotlights, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in splot-lights and particularly to spot-lights such as are used in connection with automobile lights. An objectof the invention is to provide a light of this character which will be simple, effective and easily adjustable and controlled.

A particular feature of the invention is the improved control mechanism by which the light may be turned on or off and directed or shifted to shine or. throw light in the desired direction. The control mechanism is operated by a handle which extends from the back of the lamp. Due to the mounting of the lamp, on a suitable bracket which allows adjustment, the handle' provides a means by which the lamp may be turned or moved to the desired position.

The simplicity and compactness of the switch and the handle construction is a feature of the invention. The switching mechanism isembodied in he handle in such a manner as to allow the andle to be of handy size, that is, a Size which may be easily gripped by the hand and not 0f such a size as to be ungainly or bulky. It is due to the simplicit of the switching mechanism that it is poss1ble to make the handle of a suitable size and it is largely due to the size of the handle that the entire lamp is neat and sightly. Further objects of the invention and the construction as a preferred form of the invention will be best understood from the following detailed description throughout which reference is had to the accompanying drawings, in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lamp, showing it in connection .with a typical mounting bracket; Fig. 2 is a View of a portion A,of the lamp with parts broken away to show in section; Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail section of the parts shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a detail section taken as indicated by line 4 4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is-a detail section taken as indicatedby line 5 5 on Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail section of a portion of the lamp shown in Fig. 3.

In the drawings numeral 10 designates the reflector of the lamp on the front of which is mounted or secured a glass lens 11. The lens 11 may be mounted on the reflector 10 in any suitable manner, and it is preferred that the lens be mounted so that the joint between the lens. and the reflector be dust proof and water proof. A ring or band l2 providedwith a clamping screw 13 may be used for this purpose. The-reflector 10 is permanently mounted on a frame member 14 which has a donwardly extending projection 15. The projectionl 15 provides a means by which the lamp ma be mounted on a suitable mounting brac et 16. Any form of mounting bracket 16y may be used in connectionl with the lamp .but it is preferredthat a bracket be used which is adjustable about a vertical and also a horizontal axis. In Fig. 1 is shown a simple and effective =form of mounting bracket which comprises a clamping member 17 adapted to be clamped on the frame of the windshield of a machine and an arm 18 'which is pivotally mounted at 19 on the clamping member 17. The arm 18 is preferably curved as shown inzthe drawings and the projection 15 is pivotally connected to the arm 18 at 20. Suitable friction means such as washers 21 may be provided at the pivotal connections 19 and 20 to prevent movement of thevarious parts due to vibration or jarring of the machine. v

Extending longitudinally through the frame 14 there is a bore 22 in which is carried a sleeve 23. The forward end of the sleeve 23 extends a short distance into the reflector 10 and carries' a lamp 25. The sleeve 23 is slidably carried in the frame 14 so that it may be adjusted to such a position in the frame as to cause the lamp 25 to be properly located relative to the reflector 10.

'A set screw 24b is carried in the frame 14 so that it will engage sleeve 23 and v.lock it relative to the frame when properly adjusted. 'The rear end of the sleeve 23 extends a considerable distance beyond the frame 14 and` is adapted to carry s.

to be in the proper position in the sleeve'23v when the pins 30 have completely engaged them. The plug 26 has pins 44 projecting from it which engage slots 45, (similar to slots 31) which holdthe plug 26 in the proper position in the sleeve 23. The lead wires 27 are connected to rods 43 which extend longitudinally through the plu 26 and at the forward end of saidplug, aveenlarged portions 42 which form contacts. lIn the `tube 23 between the base 24 of lamp 25 and the plug 26'there is a stationary block and a rotatable block 38. `The stationary -block 35`is adjacent to the base 24- of the lamp 25 while the rotatable blockv 38 is adjacent to the lu 26.. 4Extendin longitudi-4 t e stationary'v b ook 35 are:v two connector tubes 36 which have enlarged he rear end 52 of the lug 26 andthereby cause nally throug heads 37 at the rearfendof said block. enlarged heads 37" form contacts"..and lare f arranged so as to bein line with the contacts 42 at the forward-end of pllg26. ACarried in the .tubes 36 and exten lwhich alte. pushed voutwardl (in aY manner which will be''hereinafterv escrib'edyso as to engage the end oftbase 24 ofl -lamp 25.y

The varlousl lparts are so arranged that when the base 24 off'lamp 25 is in place in the M extending therea'rfend `of saidtubes l manner'as'contacts areA pushed outwardly, y

' that is, springs( 70am carried in the tubes 39'and 36 sofas to engage the inner ends of @dem v40 and 41 are pus 'outwardly in the same the'contact pins and thereby tend to `push "them outwardly." It is preferred that 4the 'innerendsof the contact pins be provided with enlarged otions 61 and-,that the ends of the tubesl 6 .and 39 have' slightly contracted ends. 62 inv order to prevent the pins from being pushed' out of the tubes. It will be understood that the invention is not lm' ited 'to thisparticular construction as various contact arrangements canbe used successfully'. Whenfthe rotatable block 38 is in thexposition shown in Fig. 3 the contact v pins 40 engage contacts 37 and the contact pins 411,311" the contacts v42 thereby caus mg Va emp ete electrical connection to be made between the contacts 42 which are connected directly to, lead wires 27 and the coning from the. forward end'of ,block 35v are contact pins 34 4 {1181;41-.1 The contact pinstacts 24 'of the lamp 25. In order to break the connection between the plug 26 and the lamp 25, or in other words, morder to turn the lamp olf it is merely necessary to rotate block 38 until the contacts 40 and 41 havemoved olf ofl contacts 37 and 42 respectively.

In Fig. 5 is clearly shown in dotted lines the position of the contact pins 41 relative 38 has been rotated through an angle of 90 from the position shown 1n Fig. 3. It,I will be;v readily seen from this figure that the contact pins 41 are completely out of engagement with the contacts 42 and therefore do not make an electrical connection.

The handle of the lamp is provided with a bore 59 into which the sleeve 23 slidably fits so that the handle may be slid over 'to the contacts 42 when the rotatable block the portion of the sleeve 23 which projects rearwardly from the -rame 14 and thereby completely covers it, as clearly shownv inthe drawing; The bore 59 is long enough `so that the end 5l of the bore does not engage the sleeve 23.- Although4 thei sleeve 23 fits intothe bore 5\9 there is sliiicient` friction be# tween the sleeve and thewalls of the boreV to revent relative movement of the sleeve an handle due to ordinary vibration-or jarring. Through the end 58 of the handle 50 there is a smallbore 53,through which the lead wi s 27 extend. Screw threadedly engaged in the handle .50, near the forward end of said handle, there is a pin 60 which exteds through a Islot 61 in the sleeve 23 and engages a hole 62 in the rotatable block 38. The slot 61 extends about a quarter of the 'way around the sleeve 23 and is sulfi- `ciently wide to allowthe pin 60 to be easily moved` through 1t.' It will be readily understood howl rotation of handle 50 due to the engagement of pin 60 in hole 62 will cause rotation 'of rotatable block 38. The connection'betwee'n the handle 50vand the rotatable vout of engagement with the contacts 37 and 42 respectively. .t The pin 60 being arranged vin connection with thehandleq 50, the sleevey 23, and the rotatable block 38',-v as has been described, not only connects the handle and the block so that rotation-of the handle `will cause rotationof the block but alsokee s the handle on `the. sleeve 23,v andi keeps e v block. 38 inthe proper position between, the.

block 35 andthe plug 26.

clearly understood how the From the foregoing descripion it be ndle 50 provides a handle for moving or turning the lamp and at the same time provides a handle for turning on or turning oil' the lamp 25. It will also be noted that the two operations, that is, turning or adjusting the lamp and turning the lamp on or olf may be done independently or simultaneously as desired.

Although the invention -is particularly adapted for use in connection with automobile spot-lights it will be understood that it is not limited to such lights but may be advantageously used in connection with various kinds or types of electric lights. Having hereinabove set forth a preferred form of the invention I do not wish to limit myself to the details described butwish to reserve to myself any changes or modifications that may appear to those skilled in the art or fall Within the scope of the following claims.

Having described a preferred form of my invention, I claim: y

l. In a connector and switch device of the character described, a tube, relatively stationary blocks in the tube and'spaced apart, connector members extending through the blocks and providing contacts on their adjacent faces, a rotatable contact block between the two stationary blocks, a connector member extending through the rotatable block and providing contacts adapted to en-4 gage the stationary block contacts, a hollow handle fitting over one end of the tube and rotatable thereon and forming a cover for the tube, and means rotatively connecting the handle with the rotatable block.

2. In a connector and switch device of the character described, a tube, relatively stationary blocks in the tube and spaced apart, connector members extending through the blocks and providing contacts on their adjacent faces, a rotatable contact block between the two stationary. blocks, a connector member extending through the rotatable block and providing contacts adapted to engage the stationary block contacts, a hollow handle fitting over one end of the tube and rotatable thereon and forming a cover for 'the tube, the handle extending over the tube from one end to a point opposite the rotatable block, andmeans rotatively connecting the handle with the rotatable block.

3. In a connector and switch device ofthe character described, a tube having,a slot, relatively stationary blocks in the tube and spaced apart, connector members extending through the blocks and providing contacts on their adjacent faces, a rotatable contact block between the two stationary blocks, connector members extending through the rotatable block and providing contacts adapted to engage the stationary block contacts, a hollow handle fitting over one end of the tube, covering the slot in the tube and rotatable on said tube and forming a cover for the tube, and means rotatively connecting the handle with the rotatable block, said means embodying a pin extending through said slot and'engaging the handle and the rotatable block. l A

4. In a connector and switch device of the character described, a tube having'a slot, a stationary block in said tube, a stationary removable block in said tube spaced apart from said stationary block, connector members in and extending through each of said blocks and providing contacts on their ad-l jacent faces, a rotatable contact block between the two stationary blocks, a connector member extending through the rotatable block and providing contacts adapted to engage the contacts on the ladjacent faces of the stationary and stationary removable blocks, a hollow handle fitting over one end lof the tube and rotatable thereon and forming a cover for the tube covering the slot in the tube and the stationary removable block, and means rotatively connecting the handle with the rotatable block, said means comprising a pin' .extending through said slot and engaging the handle and the rotatable block.

5. In a connector and switch device of the character described, a tube having a slot, a stationary block in the tube, a stationary removable block in the tube and spaced apart from the stationary block and held in pllace in the tube by pin and slot means, connector members extending through each ,of said blocks and providing contacts on their adjacent faces, a rotatable contact block between the stationary block and the station. ary removable block, connector members extending through the rotatable block and providing contacts adapted to engage thje contacts on the adjacent faces of the stationary and stationary removable blocks, a hollow handle fitting over one end of the tube and rotatable thereon and forming fa cover' for the tube covering the slot in said tube and covering but not engaging the stationary removable block, and means rotatively connecting the handle with the rotatable block, s aid means embodying a p1n extending between the handle and the ro,- tatable block and through said slot.

6. In a connector and switch device of the character described, atube having a slot, 'a stationary block in the tube, a stationar removable block in the tube and space apart from the stationary block and held in place in the tube by pin and slot means, connector members extending through each of -said blocks and providing contacts on their 4faces of the `stationary block and the stasaid means embodying a pin extending between the handle and the rotatable block 10 and through said slot. f

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto `subscribed my name this 2d day of August, 1919. EARLy H. HOWARD.

Witness:

' VIRGIN I. BERINGER'. 

